Flexible drive for drills



Nov. 8, 1949 A. 1.. WILBER FLEXIBLE DRIVE FOR DRILLS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 17, 1946 Inventor NOV. 8, 1949 W R 2,487,203

FLEXIBLE DRIVE FOR DRILLS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 17, 1946 Inventor Patented Nov. 8, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FLEXIBLE DRIVE FOR DRILLS Arthur L. Wilber, Cleveland, Ohio Application July 17, 1946, Serial No. 684,196

2 Claims. (Cl. 642) My invention relates to improvements in flexible drives for drills, the primary object in view being to provide a simply constructed, inexpensive means for driving the drill bit of the usual electric hand drill at various and selected angles .to the axis of the drill so that the bit may be easily and safely used in places heretofore inaccessible in using the usual hand drill of commerce.

To the accomplishment of the above, and subordinate objects presently appearing, a preferred embodiment of my invention has been illustrated in the accompanying drawings, set forth in detail in thesucceeding description and defined in the claims appended hereto.

In said drawings;

Figure l is a, fragmentary view in side elevation of my invention in the preferred embodiment thereof,

Figure 2 is a view in plan,

Figure 3 is a view partly in plan and partly in section taken on the line 3-3 in Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a View in horizontal section taken on the line 44 of Figure 2 and drawn to a larger scale,

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view in horizontal section taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4,

Figure 6 is a view in transverse section taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 4, and

Figure '7 is a view in elevation of the flexible shaft partly broken away and drawn to a larger scale.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, according to my invention an elbow joint type arm I is provided for attachment to the cylindrical casing 2 of the usual hand drill of commerce'over the usual chuck 3 of the drill.

The arm I comprises an attaching rear section 4 of substantially tubular construction, and any suitable size, provided with a rear edge, circumferential flange 5 and a pair of diametrically opposite, front end ears 6, said arm tapering from said flange to said cars. A pair of longitudinal slots I are provided in the attaching section 4 at diametrically opposite sidesthereof for a purpose presently seen.

A clamp is provided at the rear end of the attaching section 4, in the form of a pair of segmental plates 8, opposed edgewise, and pivoted adjacent confronting inner edges thereof, by bolts ii, to the rear side of the flange 5, said plates 8 having substantially semi-circular outer edge flanges III with out-turned terminal ears I I, and

2 casing 2 and to be clamped thereto by bolts I2 passin through ears II.

A front end section I2, also substantially tubular and tapering forwardly, similar to the attaching section 4, is swingably mounted at its rear end on the front end of said. section 4 by means of a pair of diametrically opposite, rear end, ears I3 fitting between the ears 6 and pivoted thereto in pairs by bolts I4 having wing nuts I5 thereon. A flanged-bearing plug i6 is secured in the front end of the frontend section I2 byaset screw Il.

A flexible shaft I8, of any usual type, with. an exception presently noted-is provided in the described arm I with its front end journalled in the bearing plug I6 and terminating in front of said plug in a suitable chuck I9 for receiving the drill bit 20. Threads, as at H, are provided on the front end of the flexible shaft I8 for attachment of the chuck I9 thereto. The flexible shaft I8 is provided with a squared rear end section 22, the purpose of which will presently appear.

A coupling is provided on the rear end section 22 of the flexible shaft I8 comprising a sleeve 23 of rectangular cross-section and which is suitably fixed on the said section 22 and adapted to be inserted in the chuck 3, said sleeve havin a front end, lateral, flange 24 thereon. A spool-like bushing 25, transversely square internally, is suitably fixed on the sleeve 23 against the flange 24 and is rotatably mounted in a cross yoke 26 in the front end section 4 which is adapted to be set longitudinally of said section 4 by clamping bolts 21 extending through the slots 1.

A pair of diametrically opposite openings 28 are provided in the rear end portion of the front end section 4 for access to the chuck 3 to operate the same in clamping the sleeve 23 in said chuck.

The manner in which the described invention is designed to operate will be obvious. Suffice it to explain that the drill bit 20 is driven from the chuck 3 by means of the sleeve 23, bushing 25, flexible shaft I8, and the chuck I9. The swingably mounted front end section I2 of the arm I may be swung on the pivot bolts I4 into different, selected, angular positions relative to the rear section 4 of said arm I to correspondingly swing the drill bit 20, and said front end section I2 may be clamped in selected angular positions by tightening the Wing nuts I5, so that the drill bit 20 may be used in various angular positions relative to the axis of the drill in places inaccessible to the usual drill. By loosening the bolts 21, the yoke 26 may be slid, by means of which are adapted to fit over th chuck end of the Q5 sai belts, forwardly in the rear section 4 to withdraw the sleeve 23 from out of the chuck 3 when it is desired to-detach the drive, and this operation may be reversed in attaching said drive as will be clear. By loosening the bolts 9, the described clamp may be detached from the casing 2 of the drill to detach the drive. The chuck 3 may be loosened or tightened, as desired, through the apertures 28.

The foregoing will, it is believed, suffice to impart a clear understanding of my invention without further explanation.

Manifestly, the invention, as described, is susceptible of modification without departing from the inventive concept, and right is herein reserved to such modifications as fall within the scope Of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A bit drive for attachment to the casing of a drill having an end driving chuck, said drive comprising an elbow joint arm embodying a rear section of substantially tubular form, a similar front section having the rear end thereof pivoted on the front end of the rear section whereby the front section is swingable on the rear section, a driven chuck on the front end of the front section adapted to receive said bit, a flexible shaft in said sections operatively connected, at one end to the driven chuck, means in the rear end of the rear section adapted for attaching said end to the drill casing over the driving chuck, and means adapted for operatively connecting the other end of the flexible shaft to the driving chuck from the exterior of said rear section comprising a coupling slidable on said other end and in said rear section with parts extending out of said rear section for access thereto in sliding said coupling.

2. A bit drive for attachment to the casing of a drill having an end driving chuck, said drive comprising an elbow joint arm embodying a rear section of substantially tubular form, a similar front section having the rear end thereof pivoted on the front end of the rear section whereby the front section is swingable on the rear section, a driven chuck on the front end of the front section adapted to receive said bit, a flexible shaft in said sections operatively connected, at one end to the driven chuck, means in the rear end of the rear section adapted for attaching said end to the drill casing over the driving chuck, and means adapted for operatively connecting the other end of the flexible shaft to the driving chuck from the exterior of said rear section, the second mentioned means comprising a sleeve fast on said shaft and adapted to be inserted in the driving chuck, a yoke in the rear section adjustable longitudinally of said rear section to insert said sleeve, and coacting devices on said yoke and rear section for maintaining said yoke in adjusted position.

ARTHUR L. WILBER.

REFERENCES CITED FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date France 1931 Number 

